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| Friday, 24 October 2003 |
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Book on hair-raising denouement The Thirteenth Labour of Hercules and Other Stories and Plays It was with some reluctance I took over the book for review, since the title and the jacket illustration indicate almost peremptorily that it is a children's book. It was not so much a desire to stay away from the children's world for some time. But I never had much fascination for those icon-figures of Greek and Roman mythology who performed incredible feats purely due to their god-given hulk. But turning the pages I was soon plunged into a world of "hair-raising and blood curdling denouement" mostly staged in the Island Republic of Bantorane in the East Pacific (You may have already guessed what spreads tear shaped under the facade). I wanted a dose of the adult world, starkly realistic minus pretences and John Weerasinghe provides almost an overdose of it, an almost nauseating overdose of flying shrapnel, putrefying corpses, Vampires on the run, bursts of grenades creating instant piles of raw human flesh. How does Hercules enter into it all? The author's imagination simply flies. After all he had been in the Royal Navy at one time. Hercules is none other than the Policeman of the World and he has to be issued the OO licence to rid the world of the scourge of terrorism. Perhaps it would have been better and more artistically balanced had the author carved out his whole work out of hypotheses like this. (Maybe he would have earned a pat on the back from Bush too). But instead tipping the balance he digresses into various other plots, of course again with the macabre thread running through most of it. As the long title implies the book is a collection of feats, of stories, of plays. There are even imaginary speeches thrown in. The author's creative and literary talents rise to giddy limits as in "The avenger" and plummets into mere burlesque as in "Labour pains". "In the aftermath" fraught with coincidences is like an echo of a Hindi film tapering to 'So everybody lived happily ever after'. But were the story, "The avenger" to be distributed as a pamphlet, this story of the chilling drama of the creeping hand, would surely drive many a child employer underground and rid the world of the scourge of child labour, at least to prevent getting strangled at midnight by a tiny hand. What propels the marked variations and approaches in this work? Of course that an author has dabbled in various areas in his life time is no excuse for him to be dissipated in his literary efforts undertaken in the eve of his life. But here the author deliberately chooses to do so. Immediately after the second World War (when most of us were in our lower forms at school) the author Weerasinghe had already joined the Royal Navy, then after de-mobilisation joins Govt. Service, then onto Law College to end up as attorney-at-law and procure many a high post in the Legal Department. While many men and women retire from all life's activities in their 60s, the alert author next takes to writing. According to the account given most of these writings had earlier been published here and abroad, but stories as "Gemunu's Glory" staged in the Republic of Bantorane smack so fresh (of fresh blood) that they would have been penned more recently. Anyway if you have a macabre longing for corpses the book provides plenty minimum, one per chapter, maximum 1000s. Not only hard-core military personnel strutting in their big boots kill, but there are parlour killers too, paramours killing husbands without a by your leave. In short most of the setting in the book belongs to a virile macho gun-toting world. The most innocent domestic scene could be the one where a mother shampoos her son's hair. But as the reader begins to feel here will be soon be a tilt towards horror and there it is. A space probe had exploded a few days back and the astronauts are missing. They have got decimated to such minuscule size that the tiny strange creatures or one of them is found in the little boy's hair (planet of giants). That is the imagination of the creative writer not exhausted by age. But there is "illogical logic" in "the Re-incarnation" when a very virtuous figure incarnates himself as a dog to protect his friend. And if all this is not enough the book ends with a long story on a gun-toter in distant California who masquerades as a cassocked priest. (father O'Halley Gun fighter). If you want the terrible, the incredible, the grotesque, the blood-curdling, the adventurous and even the quaintly informative and richly imaginative this book with its long title is the ideal for you. And there is another message of the book-writers never retire but as all mortals do they will one day disappear leaving behind a bit of their fertile, odd and inquisitive minds for posterity. Odd? Excuse me, the author's very name is rather anomalous - 'Ajasath Rankoth John. Ajasath is the kingpin of Buddha's opposing faction while Rankoth means the Golden Chaitya! John has travelled all the way from the west, which culture pervades the book overwhelmingly. Agriculture in lucid language Basnahira Boga Yogyatha Athpotha (Second Edition) This book is comprehensive and broader in coverage. It is correspondingly detailed in treatment of the entire range of theory and practice of a number of agricultural production under very relevant topics. The contribution on the part of experienced agriculturists and the well chistled simple but lucid language steering clear of globaldegook of the sphere will definitely convey the project to have the targeted impacts in the large-scale as well as small-scale agriculture ventures specially in the Western Province of this Indian Ocean Island which is lying roughly between 6 and 10 latitudes and 80 and 81 longitudes. Devising the ideal methodologies for the achievement of optimum resource use pattern in the agricultural sector is observed in this book to guide the farmers to obtain their objective for the betterment of themselves and the country at last. Students of agriculture will find this text a valuable source for their requirements. At the same time it would be equally useful as a reference for agriculture as well. For the layman this is a guideline to work out the optimum quantities of land for the cultivation of various crop and analyse the reasons for difference on the facts provided by the experts in the field. Farmers are enlightened the value of water and when the plants need water in plenty in the tropical climate of this country comprising about 16,000,000 acres and at the mercy of Godess Monsoon. For that matter retention of water to keep the plants healthy and green practical methods are discussed with the purpose of slashing the cost of sprinkling which cannot be afforded by all. The fact is elicited the root network beneath the ground in a rat race to absorb fertility. So, to ensure live and let live for the dwarfs and the giants for the benefit of the all, the arrangement of plant space is vital. For the purpose necessary instruction with backing illustrations are given here. How to deal with risk factors and uncertainties and application of pesticide insecticide and congruent methods to prevent disease in time are also observed. Nutrient value of vegetables and fruits are tabulated with eye catching colourful pictures. Western province, the targeted area is the smallest but the highly populated province sprawling from Negombo to Beruwela bordering the Western coast. Nonetheless, comparingly most of the dwellers are still fortunate to live in villas containing rather spacious front and back yards which can be developed with useful verdant coverage. Looked from the angle of a layman the book seems to be rather theoretical bias. But is only on the cover and title of the work. The valuable content which can be called a mixture of theory and practice embedded in this rare book compiled by Dr. T. T. Ranasinghe who has served in different parts of this country is valuable to all engaged in farming. Book on "mobilizing faith-based organizations against drug abuse" The Colombo plan drug advisory programme's guide The Colombo Plan Drug Advisory Programme (DAP) has taken every effort to develop the necessary skilled manpower through comprehensive skills based training workshops and particularly, developing publications to enhance knowledge of prevention and treatment practitioners providing them with vital information and most recent techniques to combat drug abuse in the region. A guidebook on "Mobilizing faith - based organizations against drug abuse" was released during the V Global Conference on Drug Prevention held in Rome, September 2003. This initiative was funded by the Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), U.S. Department of State. In line with the Colombo Plan's objectives of addressing the needs of its member countries, the Drug Advisory Programme was able to identify the role of faith-based organizations and spirituality as a key aspect which could make a significant contribution to not only in drug demand reduction but also ameliorating other social ills. Integration of spiritual values in the early education enable young people to make healthy decisions. The guidebook defines the basic concepts, principles and strategies in the integration of spiritual values into drug abuse prevention, treatment and rehabilitation programmes and presents the relevance of spirituality, predominantly focusing on the philosophy of Buddhism in drug demand reduction programmes. It edifies readers on exemplary programmes that have successfully integrated spiritual values into demand reduction and elucidates proposals on how to work with schools, community, treatment and rehabilitation programmes. This guidebook will serve as a helpful tool for faith-based organizations/ drug prevention, treatment and rehabilitation practitioners/ NGOs/ teachers and concerned others. Faith-based organizations working in the field of drug abuse prevention could request a free copy by writing to the Director, Drug Advisory Programme, The Colombo Plan Secretariat, Level 13, BOC Merchant Tower, Colombo 3. |
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